Don canvasses capacity development for youths

Don canvasses capacity development for youths
By Aisha Cole
Youths
Ijebu-Ode (Ogun), Sept. 8, 2018 (NAN) Prof. Kayode Oyesiku, a lecturer in Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun, has called on the Federal Government to enhance capacity development of youths.
He made the call on Saturday during a Commemorative Lecture delivered at “Acme Career Ascendancy and 50th Birthday celebration” of Prof. Adebambo Somuyiwa of the Department of Transport Management Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Osun.
Oyesiku of the Department of Geography, spoke on “Human Capacity Development: The Nigerian Youth Challenges and National Development”.
He said that transformation should start from the family level.
“Collectively, we must be able to enhance the capacity of youths by impressing it on those that are in power to ensure they provide infrastructure, industries and opportunities for the youths.
“Infrastructure must be enhanced and if the government is not doing it, we must work together and take decisions that will enhance the development of the society.
“Development should focus on well-being of individuals and the society as well as focusing on poverty reduction and enhancement of the capacity of individuals,” Oyesiku said.
According to him, development should also focus on infrastructure under-employment and unemployment trends.
The don said that development should not be seen as a prerequisite for few elites.
He said that there was need for development to be seen as a collective responsibility to enable an average Nigerian to participate and avoid inequality.
Oyesiku said that there must be a spread in national development to close the gap of those that have and those who do not have.
The don said that there was need to focus more on youth development to stop the high rate of crime among youths as a result of unemployment.
Oyesiku said that Nigerian leaders should allow youths to be part of the decision-making process, noting that failure to bring the youth onboard had made them to be violent and agitated.
Besides, he advised leaders and parents to stop dependency syndrome in order to make the youths independent.
In a goodwill message, Mr Segun Ogunsole, a nephew of Somuyiwa, described him as an epitome of humility, who had the love of God.
He said that Somuyiwa had promised to encourage his family members to be educated to any level of academic career.
Dr Victor Dosumu of the Department of Transport Management Science, LAUTECH, also described Somuyiwa as a mentor, a honest and courageous senior colleague.
One of the children of Somuyiwa, Mr Daniel Somuyiwa, described him as a generous father, disciplinarian and religious “who takes serious issues affecting his families”.
On his part, the celebrant said that he appreciated the Almighty God for sparing his life after a terrible accident on Aug. 21, 2006.
Somuyiwa said that in spite of all the challenges, complications and distractions, he was able to attain the height of a professor in the area of Transport Management and Logistics.
He promised to support the government in training Nigerian youths on importance and benefits of transportation to the nation’s economy.
The don appreciated all well wishers, his wife and family as well as Chief Segun Ogunsole for paying his first school fees at the university, which enabled him to obtain his PhD degree. (NAN)
AIC/FF/MST
Edited by Fela Fashoro/Muhammad Suleiman Tola